Written Answers Tuesday 5 February 2008

Scottish Executive

Autism

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been diagnosed with autism-related conditions in each year since 1980.

Shona Robison: People with autism spectrum disorder are most likely to be diagnosed in an outpatient clinic and managed in the community or general practice. Diagnostic information for patients attending outpatient clinics is not available centrally.

Cancer

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the NHS Grampian area died from bowel cancer in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005, (e) 2006 and (f) 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the number of deaths from bowel (colorectal) cancers are available by NHS board and year (1980-2006) on the Information Services Division website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/cancer_colorectal_mort_m.xls .

  The latest year for which mortality data are available is 2006.

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural co-ordinators have been employed in each year since the scheme started.

Linda Fabiani: Phases 1 and 2 of the pilot cultural co-ordinators programme were developed with a rolling deadline, with local authorities starting the scheme at different times throughout the financial year. The table below gives the number of co-ordinator posts applied for in each financial year.

  Total Number of Cultural Co-ordinators Posts Applied for (both Full and Part-Time)

  

 Year
 


 2002-03 (Phase 1)
 92


 2003-04
 92


 2004-05 (Phase 2) 
 91


 2005-06 (Phase 2) 
 91


 2006-07 (Transition)
 34*


 2007-08
 123**



  Notes:

  *One year of funding available to local authorities who had completed or were near completion of Phase 2 in the financial year 2005-06.

  **This figures includes Creative Links officers who are Cultural Co-ordinator managers, there are a total of 87 co-ordinators and 32 managers plus four national Creative Links officers.

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural co-ordinators are employed in each local authority area.

Linda Fabiani: There are currently 123 staff working in the cultural co-ordinator programme across Scotland. These are broken down by local authority as follows:

  

 Local Authority Area
 Part-Time Posts Allocated
 Full-Time Posts Applied for
 Part-Time Posts Applied for
 Managers
 Total Posts


 Aberdeen City Council
 N/A
 3
 
 1
 4


 Aberdeenshire Council
 
 4
 
 1
 5


 Angus Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 Argyll and Bute Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 Clackmannanshire Council
 
 1
 2
 1
 4


 Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Dundee City Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 East Ayrshire Council
 
 1
 1
 1
 3


 East Dunbartonshire Council
 
 1
 2
 1
 4


 East Lothian Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 East Renfrewshire Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Edinburgh Council
 
 4
 
 1
 5


 Falkirk Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Fife Council
 
 6
 
 1
 7


 Glasgow City Council
 
 2
 4
 1
 7


 Highland Council
 
 6
 
 1
 7


 Inverclyde Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Midlothian Council
 
 
 3
 1
 4


 Moray Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 North Ayrshire Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 North Lanarkshire Council
 
 5
 
 1
 6


 Orkney Islands Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 Perth and Kinross Council
 
 3
 
 1
 4


 Renfrewshire Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 Scottish Borders Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Shetland Islands Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 South Ayrshire Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 South Lanarkshire Council
 
 4
 
 1
 5


 Stirling Council
 
 1
 
 1
 2


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 
 2
 4
 1
 7


 West Lothian Council
 
 2
 
 1
 3


 Total
 
 71
 16
 32
 123†



  Note: †Includes four national co-ordinators, Young Scot, Scottish Learning Partnership, Youthlink, Children in Scotland.

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural co-ordinators were previously employed by local authorities in another or similar role and what those roles were.

Linda Fabiani: Local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of cultural co-ordinators. The Scottish Arts Council do not therefore hold centrally details of the previous employment of these individuals.

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Arts Council has spent on training for cultural co-ordinators in each year since the scheme started.

Linda Fabiani: Total investment in training for cultural co-ordinators:

  

 Year
 


 2002-03 (Phase 1) 
 0


 2003-04 (Phase 1)
£4,564.12


 2004-05 (Phase 2) 
£41,654.43


 2005-06 (Phase 2)
£15,409.30


 2006-07 (transition)
£5,607.60


 2007-08
£1,000.00

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources have been deployed in the central administration of cultural co-ordinators in each year since the scheme started.

Linda Fabiani: Since 2003, the cultural co-ordinators scheme has been supported by a dedicated staff of one full-time officer and one part time administrator based within the Scottish Arts Council Education Department.

  Associated salary and employment costs are as detailed here:

  

 Year
 Full-Time Officer
 Part-Time Administrator


 2002-03 (Phase 1)
£0
£0


 2003-04 (Phase1)
£27,000
£9,100


 2004-05 (Phase 2)
£28,750
£9,600


 2005-06 (Phase 2)
£30,300
£10,000


 2006-07 (transition)
£31,000
£10,300


 2007-08 
£33,000
£11,000


 Total 
£150,050
£50,000

Culture

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many conferences have been held by government agencies or quangos for cultural co-ordinators in Scotland; how many co-ordinators attended each conference, and what the costs were of each conference.

Linda Fabiani: There has been 1 major conference for cultural co-ordinators - Diverse Elements was held on 31 May 2004. The total cost was £26,150.58 including publication of conference report and DVD.

  There have also been a number of smaller scale specialist training and networking events for cultural co-ordinators, as well as guidance resources and the availability of a "go and see" fund. The annual costs are detailed in the table provided with response to S3W-8765 on 5 February 2008.

  No definitive figures are available for numbers of cultural co-ordinators in attendance at each.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions & Answers Search.

Dental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to ensure that teeth-whitening treatment offered outside traditional dental practices is safe for all patients.

Shona Robison: Treatment of teeth whitening is the practice of dentistry and therefore should not be carried out by unqualified people.

  We would not therefore be expecting any tooth whitening to be supported outside traditional dental practices.

Drug Misuse

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been registered on a methadone programme in (a) Scotland and (b) the Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency in each year since 2002.

Fergus Ewing: There is no national information that reports on the number of people registered on a methadone programme in Scotland who are receiving methadone hydrochloride mixture for opiate dependence. However, the links below provide estimates of the number of people receiving methadone as part of their treatment for illicit drug misuse. This information is available by Scotland and by NHS boards only.

  1. In July 2005, National Services Scotland published estimates of the number of people receiving methadone as part of their treatment for illicit drug misuse in June-July 2002, 2003 and 2004, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44592): http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/local/isd_methadone.pdf.

  2. In 2006, the Scottish Government conducted a review of the place of methadone in drug treatment. As part of this review, information was collected from NHS boards and others on the number of people receiving methadone treatment for drug misuse. The findings were published by the Scottish Government in July 2007, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43242) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/22094632.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much (a) heroin, (b) cocaine and (c) cannabis has been seized in each year since 2002, expressed in pounds (i) weight and (ii) sterling, also broken down by community justice authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested on quantities seized of various illegal drugs from 1995-96 to 2005-06, is given in tables 5, 7, 15 and 17 of "Drug Seizures by Scottish Police Forces, 2004-005 and 2005-2006" published by the Scottish Government in January 2007, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42386).  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/02/09094216/0 .

  Please note that the information on quantities of drugs seized is presented in kg and not in pounds, and that figures can only be broken down geographically to police force area level.

  Data on the value of seizures is not held centrally.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminals involved in drug dealing were caught, convicted and sentenced during (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004, (d) 2005, (e) 2006 and (f) 2007, broken down by police authority.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the tables for the years for which data is available. The statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable for a number of reasons. A single crime or offence recorded by the police may have more than one perpetrator, or alternatively, an individual may be convicted of several cases of the same crime. There is the possibility that the crime or offence recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings, while a crime or offence may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings not concluded until a later year. Crimes and offences alleged to have been committed by children under 16 years old are also generally dealt with through the children’s hearings system rather than through the courts.

  Offences Recorded by Police for Supply or Possession with Intent to Supply Drugs by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2006-07

  

 Police Force Area
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 508
 543
 551
 585
 629


 Dumfries and Galloway
 345
 426
 332
 274
 305


 Fife
 657
 544
 680
 555
 619


 Grampian
 889
 594
 695
 731
 730


 Lothian and Borders
 1,948
 1,677
 1,896
 1,884
 2,532


 Northern
 294
 435
 287
 388
 492


 Strathclyde
 4,623
 4,293
 3,820
 4,124
 4,357


 Tayside
 676
 772
 817
 752
 780


 Scotland
 9,940
 9,284
 9,078
 9,293
 10,444



  Persons Proceeded Against for Supply or Possession with Intent to Supply Drugs1 by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2005-06

  

Police Force Area
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Central 
106
126
125
124


Dumfries and Galloway
64
65
77
90


Fife 
88
97
76
85


Grampian 
188
173
210
193


Lothian and Borders 
242
213
350
306


Northern 
81
97
102
59


Strathclyde 
749
911
915
801


Tayside 
171
150
168
161


Scotland
1,689
1,832
2,023
1,822



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Supply, Possession with Intent to Supply Drugs1 by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2005-06

  

 Police Force Area
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Central 
 92
 115
 97
 91


 Dumfries and Galloway
 55
 44
 60
 70


 Fife 
 70
 66
 63
 68


 Grampian 
 157
 151
 169
 176


 Lothian and Borders 
 188
 169
 293
 266


 Northern 
 69
 86
 91
 57


 Strathclyde 
 693
 787
 770
 688


 Tayside 
 140
 118
 146
 143


 Scotland
 1,464
 1,536
 1,689
 1,562



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists have been charged with driving while banned from driving in each of the last five years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the table below.

  The Number of Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Driving whilst Disqualified1, 2001-02 to 2005-06.

  

 
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Scotland
 2,656
 3,166
 3,002
 2,747
 2,408



  Notes: 1. Where this is the main offence.

Legislation

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to promote human rights and community relations by publicising the implications of criminal and employment legislation in relation to discrimination on the grounds of religion.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government will work with the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Scotland, the recently established new single equality commission, to identify positive measures which will help to foster good community relations and safeguard the rights of Scotland’s diverse religious communities.

Maritime Issues

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with representatives of the UK Government and other interested parties anent the protection of wrecks and vessels on the seabed surrounding the Scottish mainland and islands.

Linda Fabiani: Historic Scotland officials have had discussions with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and with the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales about the development of new legislation to protect the marine historic environment, and further, about Scottish ministers’ decision to legislate on this devolved matter in the Scottish Parliament.

  To facilitate a wider debate on future strategy in this area, Historic Scotland arranged a seminar attended by 50 delegates from across the UK. Discussions on Scotland’s most important historic wreck sites have taken place between Historic Scotland and the UK-wide Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites and officials have secured, with their heritage agency partners, a new UK-wide contract for archaeological services to inform designation and licensing decisions from 2008-11.

Maternity Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on research into issues concerning premature births in each of the next three years, broken down by funder.

Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), of the Scottish Government’s Health Directorates, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO primarily responds to requests for funding research proposals initiated by the research community in Scotland.

  The CSO is currently funding seven research projects on issues concerning premature births at a cost of £1,155,233. These projects are due to complete within the next two years. The CSO would welcome further research proposals in this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

  The Department Of Health in England, funds the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University which has an on-going research programme on preterm births. Further details can be obtained from the unit’s website at www.npeu.ox.ac.uk In addition, the National Research Register (NRR), a UK-wide database from 1997-2007 of research projects funded by, or of relevance to, the NHS records at least 10 on going projects on premature births. Details of these projects are available from the NRR archive at https://portal.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/NRRArchiveSearch.aspx.

Maternity Services

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of premature births and other poor birth outcomes.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to constantly improving care provision. The Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland  and the report of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services  (EGAMS), set out a number of principles, guidelines and local actions, to ensure that women are cared for using clinically effective, evidence-based models of care, before during and after childbirth.

  NHS QIS has produced maternity care standards against which all NHS maternity services in Scotland are audited. The most recent audit published in January 2007 suggested high-quality maternity care across Scotland.

Meat Industry

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to reduce the costs to the red meat sector of the meat hygiene service, in light of the BSE crisis coming to an end.

Shona Robison: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that in July 2007, the FSA Board agreed a stepped approach to achieve a risk-based audit and inspection regime for Specified Risk Materials (SRM) that reflects the widely accepted reduced risk to humans resulting from the reduced prevalence of BSE in cattle in the UK.

  In parallel, the FSA Board agreed to work towards adopting a more risk and evidence-based approach to the regulation of meat hygiene, meat inspection activities and enforcement, and for the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to be transformed into a leaner, more efficient organisation that will carry out its role at less cost.

  As the FSA Board’s view is that, where possible, a business should pay for the official controls that are needed, the MHS will develop a new charging system that will move towards full cost recovery. This will include the costs of applying SRM controls, which have been met by central government since they were first introduced in 1989. Reducing the costs of the controls and progressively increasing charging to industry will encourage businesses to make more efficient use of the MHS, and enable the FSA to target any continuing subsidy to plants most in need. There is on-going extensive consultation with stakeholders as this work progresses.

  The Scottish Government and equivalents in the other UK countries are also working with the European Commission to raise the age threshold at which adult bovines are subject to BSE testing before the carcase can be released into the food chain. Once this increase is agreed in Brussels and implemented here, it will help to further reduce the compliance costs for meat plants processing older cattle.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what services are available to people with a dual diagnosis of mental health problems and substance and alcohol misuse in each NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally. Information on services provided through Alcohol and Drug Action Teams is provided in their published Corporate Action Plans. While this information is not wholly comprehensive the plans provide a significant indication of the range of activity which includes for example a focus on prevention, support and protection. Fuller detail is available from http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/dat/cap/dat.htm

  The recently published guidance Mind the Gaps - Making a Difference (Bib. number 44565) will further support the development of closer links between all services agencies and teams in helping prevent need, provide care and supported recovery.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to improve the availability of services to people with a dual diagnosis of mental health problems and substance and alcohol misuse.

Shona Robison: Our 2007 report Mind the Gaps - Making a Difference (Bib. number 44565) makes five specific recommendations for service change and improvement in the way all agency partners combine to anticipate and respond to the needs of those affected.

  We are working with the partner agencies on approaches to illness prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, recovery and to ensuring that each approach complements the other.

  Progress will be monitored.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will impose a moratorium on prisoners leaving HM Prison Castle Huntly without an escort while the review is undertaken.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  No. Such a moratorium would completely negate the purpose of open prison.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any extra security measures are in place at open prisons for prisoners who have previously absconded.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  Those prisoners who abscond from open prison and are readmitted to custody are automatically banned from returning to such conditions for a minimum period of 12 months. The SPS prisoner database flags such prisoners and they are subject to additional scrutiny prior to any further transfer to the open estate.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Prison Service advised police forces in Scotland that Robert Foye had absconded.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service was advised at 17.15 on 18 August 2007 that Mr Foye had absconded. Tayside Police were contacted at 17.35.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which police forces were advised by the Scottish Prison Service of Robert Foye’s abscondment.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  The report of any abscond from or failure to return to the open estate is advised in the first instance to Tayside Police. I understand they then use police communication networks to alert all Scottish forces as appropriate.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether victims of crime and their families are notified when the prisoner who perpetrated the crime absconds.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  Sections 16 and 17 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 give eligible victims of crimes (or in certain circumstances the relatives of those victims) the right to receive certain information about the offender, through the Victim Notification Scheme. Victims who have opted into the scheme are entitled, among other things, to be told if the offender has escaped or absconded from custody. In such circumstances the SPS alerts the police immediately and if the offender is considered to present a threat to the victim the police take steps to ensure that they are notified as soon as possible. The SPS will also send a letter to the victim as soon as possible. The Victim Notification Scheme member will also be notified when the offender is returned to custody.

Prison Service

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether victims of crime and their families are notified when the prisoner who perpetrated the crime is moved to an open prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

  His response is as follows:

  Section 16 and 17 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 entitles victims who have opted into the Victim Notification Scheme to be told when a prisoner first meets the criteria during their sentence which makes him or her eligible to be accorded temporary release (which may include transfer to an open prison). The transfer date, which is later, is not subsequently notified.

Prostitution

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being made available for each of the next three years of the spending review to provide routes out of prostitution.

Kenny MacAskill: The provision of support to help individuals to leave prostitution is the responsibility of individual local authorities. The Scottish Government last year published guidance for local authorities and their community planning partners to assist them in developing comprehensive local strategies to address street prostitution in their area. The guidance highlighted the importance of providing support and assistance to enable individuals to leave prostitution.

  The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding will be provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

Prostitution

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to (a) publicise the enactment and (b) monitor the implementation of the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007, also showing the costs of any publicity campaign to mark its enactment.

Kenny MacAskill: A combined enforcement and publicity campaign is launched on 14 January. The campaign is targeted around the four main cities and will highlight the consequences of being convicted under the new legislation. This advertising campaign will also be supported by a full PR campaign. The budget for this campaign is £105,000.

  Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with representatives of Strathclyde, Lothian and Borders, Tayside and Grampian Police regarding the implementation of the act. Convictions under the act will be monitored in the usual way, through the collection of statistics on criminal offences.

Roads

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with transport partners regarding the upgrading of the A737.

Stewart Stevenson: The A737 forms part of the national strategic transport corridor linking Glasgow to Ayrshire which is being considered as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). The work informing this review will consider the issues and possible solutions along this route which may be delivered through an investment plan for 2012 to 2022.

  Throughout the STPR process, Transport Scotland is engaging with a range of key stakeholders through focused reference groups with senior representatives of organisations with considerable knowledge, experience and understanding of the transport issues involved.

Scots Language

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture has met representatives of Scottish Arts Council-supported Scots language organisations and, if not, when the minister plans to do so.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to apply the provisions of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages to the Scots language.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to mark the UN’s International Year of Languages 2008, with particular reference to activities and events that promote and encourage the Scots language.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to develop the proposals in the national languages strategy.

Linda Fabiani: Scots is a valuable part of our cultural life. I am keen to see its use promoted in education, the arts and literature. For this reason I have asked for an audit of what measures are currently in place to promote the Scots language, and what opportunities exist to make further progress.

  The cycle of reporting for the Third Periodic Report on the Council of Europe Charter for Regional and Minority Languages has commenced and the Scottish Government will be providing information to the Council of Europe in connection with the undertakings which have been agreed for Gaelic and Scots.

  In connection with the Scots language, the Scottish Government will be writing to authorities and public bodies to remind them of the Charter undertakings and to ask what provision is in place in their areas. At a later stage we will be informing the Council of Europe of the terms of our proposed audit of Scots language provision and the progress we hope to make with this in connection with our Charter undertakings.

  My colleague, the Minister for Schools and Skills, and I have both met and corresponded with a range of Scots language organisations. This includes groups supported by the Scottish Arts Council and others.

  The fundamental aim behind the United Nation’s International Year of Languages, 2008, is the preservation and promotion of linguistic diversity. We share this aim, welcome this initiative and will encourage local authorities and schools to engage with national and international initiatives such as this.

  The proposals in the previous administration’s report, A Strategy for Scotland’s Languages, are being taken forward by a range of business areas within the Scottish Government.

Sectarianism

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to host a third summit on sectarianism during 2008.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is taking a holistic approach to tackling all forms of religious intolerance and the development of interfaith dialogue. Our priorities are to focus on community and grassroots initiatives, as well as high-profile national events such as Football for All’s Kick-Out Bigotry campaign which was launched on 20 November 2007 at Hampden Park by the First Minister, and we do not have any plans to convene a third Summit on Sectarianism.

Sectarianism

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish a national strategy on tackling sectarianism during 2008.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is determined to eradicate all forms of religious bigotry, and tackling sectarianism is an important element of this. Our work in this area also includes the promotion of interfaith dialogue and we do not believe that a further strategy specifically on tackling sectarianism is needed at this time.

Sexual Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken in response to the 29% increase in HIV diagnosis in 2007.

Shona Robison: Respect and Responsibility , our sexual health and relationships strategy, aims through a number of actions, to reduce the rising number of sexually transmitted infections in Scotland, including HIV.

  Recent discussions have taken place with Scottish Government officials, Health Protection Scotland and HIV Scotland to consider how we can increase our efforts and those of health boards across Scotland to reduce the rates of HIV transmission in Scotland.

  We have begun preparations for a public awareness campaign and increased public information as part of our aims to improve attitudes to relationships and sexual health, this will include information on HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

Sexual Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the record number of newly identified cases of HIV reported to Health Protection Scotland in 2007, whether it plans to review the sexual health strategy or the way it is implemented.

Shona Robison: We are currently undertaking a stock taking review of Respect and Responsibility, our sexual health strategy, which is due to report in spring 2008. The review will identify any gaps in the implementation of the Strategy and recommendations will be made on how it should be best progressed.

  Recent discussions have also taken place between Scottish Government officials, Health Protection Scotland and HIV Scotland to consider how we can increase our efforts and those of health boards across Scotland to reduce the rates of HIV transmission.

Sexual Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures will be taken to improve education, information and advice in relation to sexual health, given that improvement in these areas is an aspiration in Better Health, Better Care: Action Plan .

Shona Robison: Sex and Relationships Education in schools includes specific teaching around HIV and how it is transmitted.

  Information on sexual health and HIV is also available through a wide range of sexual health services who make condoms available free of charge. The use of condoms is essential to reduce the levels of sexually transmitted infections in Scotland.

  In addition, we have begun preparations for a public awareness campaign and increased public information as part of our aims to improve attitudes to relationships and sexual health, this will include information on HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

Telecommunications

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5432 by Jim Mather on 1 November 2007, whether it is able to give more specific dates for the completion of planned upgrades to the telephone exchanges on (a) Eday and (b) Stronsay, due to take place during the first quarter of 2008.

Jim Mather: We are working with BT to deliver the upgrades to Eday and Stronsay exchanges in March 2008. Any updates to dates for our upgrade programme of Exchange Activate exchanges will be announced on our website at www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk .